Filament winding device



Jan. 21, 1964 H. KUSTER 3,118,625

FILAMENT WINDING DEVICE Filed June -7, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HE/NZ fQ/sTE/a BY H. KUSTER FILAMENT WINDING DEVICE Jan. 21, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 7, 1961 INVENTOR. HE/ NZ [@57'5/2. Y

A TTOPNEYS.

Jan. 21, 1964 H. KUSTER FILAMENT WINDING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 7, 1961 HE! NZ K15 TEE.

Jan. 21, 1964 H. KUSTER FILAMENT WINDING DEVICE ATIUENEVS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 7, 1961 United States Patent illfifil ii Patented Jan. 21, 1954 3,118,625 FILAMENT WINDENG BEVTCE Heinz Knster, Lichtensteig, Switzerland, assignor to Heberlein Patent Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 7, 1961, Ser. No. 115,468 Claims priority, application Switzerland June 8, 1950 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-48) This invention relates to filament winding devices and particularly to apparatus for chan ing the spindle or bobbin thereof. The ter filament as employed herein is intended to define a single fil'unent or a plurality of filaments in twisted or untwisted condition, a textile yarn or thread or a braided collection of yarns or threads. The apparatus is applicable primarily to the winding of textile filaments, but it may also be used for the changing of bobbins upon which other than textile filament material is wound, for example fine wires. The term bobbin is employed in its usual sense herein, but is also intended to include spindles upon which a filament is uniformly wound. In the present apparatus the bobbin is driven through contact with a driven roller.

In high speed filament winding machines havin a plurality of bobbins manual changing of bobbins as they are filled presents several obvious difficulties. The apparatus of the present invention, on the other hand, enables quick and positive removal of a filled bobbin from the machine and replacement with a fresh bobbin during the winding process, while also providing for severance of the filament from the filled bobbin and automatic threading onto the fresh bobbin.

in its broadest aspect the device of the present invention comprises a primary bobbin receiving the filament being wound and driving means therefor comprising a driven cylinder or roller in peripheral contact with the periphery of the primary bobbin. Means are provided for maint ing the primary bobbin in an operational or winding position, while preventing displacement thereof in the direction of rotation of the driving cylinder. The apparatus also includes means remotely positioned from the bobbin drive for receiving the bobbin when it is filled to a predetermined degree and for retaining the filled bobbin in a position of rest spaced from the driving means. it also includes a reserve bobbin and means for disposing this reserve bobbin in rotatable engagement with the driving means so that the same receives the winding filamerit and conveys it in a direction relative to the primary bobbin in its position of rest to form a slack filament loop intermediate the bobbins, and finally means are provided which cooperate with the reserve bobbin in its operative position to press the filament loop thereagainst thus tensioning and tearing the same.

One embodiment of the present invention provides for manual changing of bobbins, while in another embodiment bobbins are changed automatically. However, in both cases the reserve bobbin when in operational Winding position and the filled bobbin when in a condition of rest are so positioned that the aforementioned loop is formed and the filament is torn by the device.

In the accompanying drawings:

FZGS. 14 are schematic elevations of the manual bobbin changing device hereof, illustrating the position of various elements at different stages of the winding and changing process, and

FlGS. 5-9 are similar schematic elevations of the automatic changing device of this invention.

Referring now to the manual changer of FIGS. 4, the apparatus comprises a driving cylinder ll suitably supported by means not shown which itself is driven in the usual manner by an axial shaft 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow. The driving cylinder 11 is provided with a circumferential groove, indicated as the dotted line 13, in which the filament F to be wound is guided to a primary or winding bobbin 14, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in operational position with its peripheral winding surface in contact with the driving cylinder. The filament F travels in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon and is supplied to the winding device from any suitable filament-forming or treating apparatus, not shown.

The axle 16 of the primary bobbin 1 is positioned in a vertical guideway 17 in each of a pair of carriers 18 which are desirably extensions of the machine frame. Only one carrier is apparent in the drawings. The sides of guideway 17 are desirably provided with a suitable bearing material, not shown, to reduce wear and permit free rotation of the bobbin axle 16. From FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be seen that as the winding diameter of primary bobbin 14 increases its axle rides upwardly in the guideway 17 until the bobbin has reached a predetermined final diameter, at which time its axle is at approximately the position shown in E8. 2.

A removable exchange device indicated generally at 19, consisting of a pair of triangularly shaped central portions 29 and extending arms 23 which pairs are joined by rods 27, is then releasably secured to the carriers 18. Each of the carriers is provided with a recess 21 into which is inserted a pin 22 disposed on the ends of extending arms 23 of the change device 19. A second pin 24 is also disposed on the arms 23 for engagement with a tapered edge 26 of each carrier 18 when the pins 22 are introduced into the recesses 21. When thus bayoneted into position the changer 19 is suspended on the carrier '18 as a cantilever and is secure against inadvertent removal.

The upper central surface of portion 20 of the changer is provided with recesses 28 and 29. A reserve bobbin 31 is disposed with its axle 32 in recess 28, and in this position it frictionally engages the circumference of the driving cylinder 11. The changer 19 also rotatably supports a pressure roll 33, which is positioned for frictional engagement with the periphery of reserve bobbin 31 when the latter is in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The reserve bobbin is provided on its filament-receiving surface with a coating 3 having a high coefiicient of friction with the material of the filament F. This coating 34 is illustrated as extending over the periphery of the empty reserve bobbin, but it may of course consist of one or a plurality of transversely extending strips of friction material.

After attaching the reserve bobbin carrier to the carrier 18, the fully wound primary bobbin la is manually lifted out of guideway 17 and transferred to the recess 29 in the changer. Upon transfer of the primary bobbin the filament F is continuously fed to the reserve bobbin 31. It moves out of the groove 13 in driving cylinder 11 and adheres to the friction coating 34- on the reserve bobbin, as shown in FIG. 3, moving toward primary bobbin 14. Since the primary bobbin is now in a condition of rest, a slack filament loop is formed between the two bobbins. As shown by the broken lines F and F (FIG. 3), this slack loop becomes longer and longer until it reaches a position indicated by P Then the free end of the loop passes into the nip between the reserve bobbin and the pressure roller 33. The loop together with the filament from primary bobbin i i are then wound onto the reserve bobbin, but that portion of the loop leading to the primary bobbin is tensioned to such an extent that it is ultimately torn. As soon as tearing occurs, eserve bobbin 31 is manually lifted out of recess 28 and its axle 32 inserted into the guideway 17 of carrier 18, as shown in FIG. 4. The weight of the bobbin brings it into frictional engagement with driving cylinder 11, filament F finds its way into the groove 13 and winding proceeds with the reserve bobbin now the primary bobbin. Subsequently, the changer together with the fully wound bobbin is separated rom the carrier by releasing the bayonet closure.

Referring now to the changing device illustrated in FIGS, 9, and with particular reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the automatic device comprises a pair of identical carriers indicated at 41, only one of which is apparent in the drawings, suitably joined and arranged in fixed position as by attachment to the machine frame by means not shown. Each carrier 41 is provided with a guideway comprising an ascending portion 42 which at its upper end joins a downwardly angled or descending portion 43, the lower end of wmch is provided with an opening 44 and a stop 46. The ascending guideway receives the axle 16 of a primary bobbin 14 and maintains the bobbin in operational position against a driving cylinder 11, as described generally in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4. The carrier 41 is also provided with another upwardly directed guideway 47 in which the axle 48 of a pressure roller 49 is positioned. Due to its position the pressure roller 49 bears against the winding periphery of the primary bobbin 14.

Coaxially with the shaft 12 of driving cylinder 11 there is pivotally mounted a pair of bobbin changers indicated generally at 51. As in the case of the carrier 41 there are of course two such changers, joined for cooperative movement, one disposed on each side of the drivnig cylinder 11. One arm 52 of the changer comprises a plane upper surface 53 and the changer is so disposed that this surface is inclined downwardly away from the pivotal point of the changer. A protuberance 54 adjacent the end of arm 52 supports the axle of a reserve bobbin 31, which bobbin is also provided with a coating 34 having a high coefiicient of friction with the material of filament F.

Another arm 56 of changer 51 is coupled as at 57 through a lever system to a moment control arm 58, which is pivotally mounted to a fixed external member as at 59. The lever system consists of a bell crank 61 pivotal about a fixed point 62, to one arm 63 of which a connecting rod 64 is pivotally mounted. The free end of connecting rod 64 is provided with a roller 66 which peripherally engages the plane underside 67 of moment control arm 58. On the other arm 68 of the bell crank there is pivotally mounted a control rod 69, the lower end 71 of which is pivotally connected to arm 56 of changer 51. The control rod 69 passes through an opening '72 in a fixed flange 73, against which one end of a helical compression spring 74 surrounding rod 69 abuts. The other end of spring 74 is supported by a fixed collar 76 on rod 69. In the condition illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 spring 74 tends to displace control rod 69 downwardly thus tending to rotate the changer 51 in the direction of rotation of drive shaft 12, i.e., counterclockwise as illustrated. However, 'with the moment control arm 58 in the position indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6 downward movement of the control rod is prevented, and control arm 58 acts as a lock. A stop 77, which may be a projection of the machine frame, abuts the surface 78 of the changer thus preventing rotary move ment in the opposite direction.

Referring now to operation of the automatic device, during filament winding, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the primary bobbin 14 rises in the ascending guideway 42 as its diameter increases. The arrangement and length of guideway 42, and the angle of descent of guideway 43 from the top of the ascending guide are such that when the bobbin has been filled to a predetermined degree, i.e., reaches a certain final diameter, the bobbin axle 16 is located at the point of transition between the ascending and descending guideways, as shown in FIG. 6. When this point is reached the axle of the primary bobbin then enters descending guideway 43 and the bobbin rolls down until it reaches the stop 46. Just before or at the end of its downward travel the peripheral edge of the filled primary bobbin 14 encounters the end of the moment control arm 58, as shown in FIG. 7, and trips the latter in a counter-clockwise direction about its axis of rotation 59. This movement of control arm 58 unlocks the lever system thereby relieving spring 74 which correspondingly displaces rod 64, bell crank 61 and rod 69 so that the changer 51 is pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed, from the position illustrated in FIGS. 5-7. During initial rotation of the changer, as shown in FIG. 8 the reserve bobbin rolls over surface 53 of the changer into contact with the driving cylinder 11 and itself begins to rotate. Rotation of the changer continues under influence of the relieving spring 74 until it reaches the final position indicated in FIG. 9, with the axle 32 of reserve bobbin 31 in ascending guideway 42.

During transition of the fully wound primary bobbin from its operational position to the position of rest indicated in FIG. 8, the filament F is lifted off of the driving cylinder and onto the friction surface 34 of the reserve bobbin by pressure roller 49, which securely fixes the filament to the friction surface. At this point the filament is being conveyed by the reserve bobbin in a direcion toward the resting primary bobbin, and since the latter bobbin is at rest a slack loop of increasing size, indicated by the dotted lines F and F (FIG. 9), is formed between the two bobbins. The size of this loop increases as indicated at F until the same ultimately passes into the nip between driving cylinder .11 and reserve bobbin 31. As a result the loop together with subsequently fed filament F is wound onto the circumference of the reserve bobbin, and that portion of the loop extending from the nip to the resting primary bobbin 14 is tensioned and finally torn. Subsequently fed filament F finds its way into the guide -13 of the driving cylinder and is wound onto the reserve bobbin, which has now become the primary bobbin of FIG. 5.

The fully wound bobbin .14 is then lifted from the guideway 43, and the changer lever system is re-locked, i.e., returned to the position indicated in FIG. 5, by manually swinging the moment control arm 58 clockwise to the point of equilibrium, thus tensioning spring 74, and causing the changer to pivot clockwise to its point of engagement with limit stop 77. Upon locking of the changer control system a new supply bobbin is placed onto the changer against stop 54.

The lever system may, instead of the compression spring, be provided with a tension spring which, for example, engages the bell crank, or a torsion spring may be provided about drive shaft 12 with one end in contact with one of the arms of the changer.

I claim:

1. A filament winding device which comprises a primary bobbin for receiving the filament to be wound, driving means therefor, permanently stationary guide means comprising an ascending guideway and a descending guideway, said ascending guideway for maintaining said primary bobbin in an operational position rotatably connected to said driving means, said ascending guideway adapted to maintain said rotatable connection between said primary bobbin and said driving means until said primary bobbin is filled to a predetermined degree, said descending guideway being connected at the upper extermity of said ascending guideway to receive the primary bobbin when the same is so filled and to break said rotatable connection between said primary bobbin and said driving means, means (for retaining said filled primary bobbin in a position of rest, a reserve bobbin with a filamentreceiving surface, means for so disposing said reserve bobbin in rotatable connection with said driving means as to receive the winding filament and convey the filament in a direction relative to the primary bobbin in its position of rest to thereby form a slack filament loop intermediate the bobbins, and means cooperating with said 5. reserve bobbin pressing said slack filament loop against said surface thus tensioning and tearing the filament.

2. A filament winding device which comprises a primary bobbin for receiving the filament to be wound, a driving cylinder therefor, permanently stationary guide means comprising an ascending guideway and a descend ing guideway, said ascending guideway for maintaining said primary bobbin in an operational position with its periphery rotatably engaging said driving cylinder, said ascending guideway adapted to maintain said rotatable connection between said primary bobbin and said driving cylinder until said primary bobbin is filled to a predetermined degree, said descending guideway being connected at the upper extremity of said ascending guideway to receive the primary bobbin when the same is so filled and to break said rotatable connection between said primary bobbin and said driving cylinder, means for retaining said filled primary bobbin in a position of rest, a reserve bobbin with a filament-receiving surface, means for so disposing said reserve bobbin in rotatable connection with said driving cylinder as to receive the winding filament and convey the filament in a direction relative to the primary bobbin in its position of rest to thereby form a slack filament loop intermediate the bobbins, and means cooperating with said reserve bobbin pressing said slack filament loop against said surface thus tensioning and tearing the filament.

3. A filament winding device which comprises a primary bobbin for receiving the filament to be wound, a driving cylinder therefor, permanently stationary guide means comprising an ascending guideway and a descending guideway, said ascending guideway for maintaining said primary bobbin in an operational position with its periphery rotatably engaging said driving cylinder, said ascending guideway adapted to maintain said rotatable connection between said primary bobbin and said driving cylinder until said primary bobbin is filled to a predetermined degree, said descending guideway being connected at the upper extremity of said ascending guideway to receive the primary bobbin when the same is so filled and to break said rotatable connection between said primary bobbin and said driving means, means for retaining said filled primary bobbin in a position of rest, a reserve bobbin with a filament-receiving surface, means responsive to the primary bobbin when the same moves in said descending guideway for so disposing said reserve bobbin in rotatable connection with said driving means as to receive the winding filament and convey the filament in a direction relative to the primary bobbin in its position of rest to thereby form a slack filament loop intermediate the bobbins, and means cooperating with said reserve bobbin pressing said slack filament loop against said surface thus tensioning and tearing the filament.

4. A filament winding device which comprises a primary bobbin for receiving the filament to be wound, driving means therefor, permanently stationary guide means comprising an ascending guideway and a descending guideway, said ascending guideway for maintaining said primary bobbin in an operational position rotatably connected to said driving means, said ascending guideway adapted to maintain said rotatable connection between said primary bobbin and said driving means until said primary bobbin is filled to a predetermined degree, said descending guideway being connected at the upper extremity of said ascending guideway to receive the primary bobbin when the same is so filled and to break said rotatable connection between said primary bobbin and said driving means, means for retaining said filled primary bobbin in a position of rest, a reserve bobbin with a filament-receiving surface, a pivotal carrier for the reserve bobbin comprising a lever having reserve bobbin retaining means thereon, a lever system engaging said reserve bobbin carrier and actuatable by the primary bobbin when in its position of rest, said lever system including biasing means which upon actuation rotates said pivotal carrier causing said reserve bobbin to contact the winding filament and rotatably engage the driving means and ultimately contact the ascending guideway, said pivotal carrier being so positioned relative to the primary bobbin in its position of rest that as said reserve bobbin moves toward contact with said ascending guideway a slack filament loop is formed intermediate the bobbins, and pressure means cooperating with the reserve bobbin pressing said filament loop thereagainst thus tensioning and tearing the filament.

5. A filament winding device which comprises a primary bobbin for receiving the filament to be wound, driving means therefor, permanently stationary guide means comprising a first guideway and a second guideway, said first guideway for maintaining said primary bobbin in an operational position rotatably connected to said driving means, said second guideway cooperating with the first guideway for receiving and directing the primary bobbin when filled to a predetermined degree to a position removed from said driving means, a reserve bobbin with a filament-receiving surface, pivotal means carrying said reserve bobbin, a linkage system engaging said pivotal means, biasing means releasable by said linkage system to so rotate said pivotal means as to move the reserve bobbin into contact with the winding filament and rotatable connection with the driving means and ultimately into said first guideway, locking means for said linkage system releasable by said primary bobbin when the same moves in said second guideway.

6. A filament winding device which comprises a primary bobbin for receiving the filament to be wound, a driving cylinder therefor, permanently stationary guide means comprising an ascending guideway and a descending guideway, said ascending guideway for maintaining the periphery of the bobbin in rotational engagement with the driving cylinder during winding and said descending guideway interconnected with the ascending guideway for directing the bobbin when filled to a predetermined degree to a position removed from said driving cylinder, means for retaining the primary bobbin at a removed position in a condition of rest, a reserve bobbin carrier pivotable about the axis of said driving cylinder, a reserve bobbin thereon with a filament-receiving surface, said reserve bobbin carrier in a first position having intermediate its pivot point and one end a planar portion inclined upwardly from said one end in the direction of said pivot, retaining means on said inclined portion for restraining movement of the reserve bobbin in the direction of said one end, the reserve bobbin when engaging said retaining means being in a condition of rest and axially parallel to said primary bobbin, a lever system engaging the reserve bobbin carrier, biasing means cooperating with said lever system to rotate the reserve bobbin carrier to a second position and to thereby reverse the direction of the inclined planar portion thereof upon actuation of said lever system, locking means for said lever system releasable by said primary bobbin as the same moves in the descending channel portion of its carrier, and pressure means cooperating with the bobbin in operating winding position pressing the filament against the winding surface thereof, said lever system and biasing means when acmated causing the reserve bobbin carrier to rotate to an extent sufiicient to enable the reserve bobbin to roll from its position of rest into peripheral contact with the driving cylinder and pass in the direction of driving cylinder rotation into said ascending guideway, said reserve bobbin, upon assuming the latter position, contacting the winding filament and conveying said filament in the direction of the primary bobbin thereby forming a slack loop intermediate the bobbins, which loop is conveyed on the reserve bobbin to its point of engagement with the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fourness Mar. 6, 1934 Feller et a1 Sept. 22, 1959 Bisbe Oct. 25, 1960 8. FOREIGN PATENTS France Oct. 17, 1938 France June 28, 1943 Great Britain NOV. 21, 1956 Switzerland July 31, 19 58 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No- 3,118,625 January 2-1, 1964 Heinz Kuster v It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pat- 4 ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 29, for "drivnig" read driving column 4, line 21, after "bobbin" insert Q The filament is pressed against the reserve bobbin line 23, for "dir-ecion" read direction Signed and sealed this 28th day of July 1964,.

(SEAL) Attest:

ESTON G. JOHNSON EDWARD JHBRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A FILAMENT WINDING DEVICE WHICH COMPRISES A PRIMARY BOBBIN FOR RECEIVING THE FILAMENT TO BE WOUND, DRIVING MEANS THERFOR, PERMANENTLY STATIONARY GUIDE MEANS COMPRISING AN ASCENDING GUIDEWAY AND A DESCENDING GUIDEWAY, SAID ASCENDING GUIDEWAY FOR MAINTAINING SAID PRIMARY BOBBIN IN AN OPERATIONAL POSITION ROTATABLY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVING MEANS, SAID ASCENDING GUIDEWAY ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN SAID ROTATABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID PRIMARY BOBBIN AND SAID DRIVING MEANS UNTIL SAID PRIMARY BOBBIN IS FILLED TO A PREDETERMINED DEGREE, SAID DESCENDING GUIDEWAY BEING CONNECTED AT THE UPPER EXTERMITY OF SAID ASCENDING GUIDEWAY TO RECEIVE THE PRIMARY BOBBIN WHEN THE SAME IS SO FILLED AND TO BREAK SAID ROTATABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID PRIMARY BOBBIN AND SAID DRIVING MEANS, MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID FILLED PRIMARY BOBBIN IN A POSITION OF REST, A RESERVE BOBBIN WITH A FILAMENTRECEIVING SURFACE, MEANS FOR SO DISPOSING SAID RESERVE BOBBIN IN ROTATABLE CONNECTION WITH SAID DRIVING MEANS AS TO RECEIVE THE WINDING FILAMENT AND CONVEY THE FILAMENT IN A DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE PRIMARY BOBBIN IN ITS POSITION OF REST TO THEREBY FORM A SLACK FILAMENT LOOP INTERMEDIATE THE BOBBINS, AND MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID RESERVE BOBBIN PRESSING SAID SLACK FILAMENT LOOP AGAINST SAID SURFACE THUS TENSIONING AND TEARING THE FILAMENT. 